Foster Care Association of Victoria

What Foster Care Association of Victoria does

The Foster Care Association of Victoria (FCAV) is a registered charity and the peak body representing volunteer foster carers across the state of Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1992 and operating from a single office in Abbotsford with 12 staff under CEO Samantha Hauge, FCAV provides advocacy, direct support services, and educational resources to its free membership base of foster carers. Its core service offerings include the Carer Assistance Program (CAP) providing free short-term therapeutic counselling, a Carer Information Hub for navigating the child protection system, learning and development resources, and systemic advocacy to government departments and ministers at both state and federal levels.

FCAV's underlying technology is modest and non-proprietary, consisting of a web platform (fcav.org.au) hosting resource hubs and online referral forms built on Formstack, digital newsletters, webinar and virtual session delivery tools, and a referenced CaringLife app for carers. There are no disclosed APIs, AI/ML capabilities, patents, or proprietary technology products. The organisation does not generate revenue from technology licensing; instead, its financial model rests on tax-deductible public donations (processed through GiveEasy), government grants — particularly from the Victorian Department of Families, Fairness and Housing for programmes such as CAP — and campaign contributions for specific advocacy initiatives. Membership itself is free, reflecting FCAV's positioning as an inclusive sector-wide body rather than a fee-based service.

Go-to-market is community-led and direct-to-consumer: FCAV acquires members through digital engagement, Foster Care Week events, agency referrals, and its Carer Ambassador programme, while delivering services via a dedicated support phone line (03 9416 4292), online portals, and partnerships with government departments, ACCOs, and peer organisations such as PCA Families. The organisation's strategic positioning centres on systemic reform — particularly increasing Victoria's care allowance, which trails NSW and Queensland by approximately $90 per week for a six-year-old child — while also providing frontline therapeutic and navigational support to its membership.

Name

Foster Care Association of Victoria

Legal name

Foster Care Association of Victoria

Website

https://fcav.org.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Foster Care Association of Victoria (FCAV) is a registered charity and peak body representing volunteer foster carers across Victoria, Australia. It delivers free advocacy, therapeutic counselling (CAP), information resources, and systemic reform campaigns to its carer membership of 12 staff serving from Abbotsford.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Abbotsford

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership and Donations: FCAV generates revenue through membership fees (free for carers, with membership instrumental to organisational strength) and public donations via its GiveEasy portal. Donations of AUD$2.00 or more are tax-deductible.
2. Government Grants and Funding: FCAV receives government grants and funding to deliver programs including the Carer Assistance Program (CAP), which provides free therapeutic support to carers. Funding for CAP has been a recurring advocacy issue, with the organisation calling on the Victorian Government to fund the program.
3. Campaign and Advocacy Support: FCAV conducts fundraising campaigns such as the Care Allowance increase campaign, and accepts contributions for specific initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

FCAV is the peak body and united voice for foster carers in Victoria, Australia. It delivers direct support services including a Carer Advocate helpline, the Carer Assistance Program (CAP) providing free short-term therapeutic counselling, learning and development resources, a Carer Information Hub, and systemic advocacy to government on behalf of volunteer foster carers. Services are provided free to foster carer members across the state.

Product overview

The Foster Care Association of Victoria (FCAV) operates as a nonprofit peak body providing a suite of support services to foster carers. The core offerings include the Carer Assistance Program (CAP) providing therapeutic counselling support, advocacy services representing carer interests to government, a Carer Information Hub for navigating the child protection system, learning and development resources for carer education, and a membership program offering access to free support and information. FCAV does not operate a technology platform but delivers services directly to members through direct support, online resources, and advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Carer Assistance Program (CAP) Free therapeutic support service providing short-term counselling, strategy navigation for challenging behaviours, and trauma-informed advice to foster carers to maintain personal wellbeing. Delivered via practitioner appointments and group sessions including Connect with CAP virtual sessions.
• Carer Information Hub Online resource centre providing information and guidance for foster carers navigating the child protection system, including digital pamphlets, FAQs, and topical resources.
• Learning and Development Resources Educational resources, training materials, webinars (I Care 2), podcasts, videos, and professional development opportunities for foster carers. Includes referral to Carer KaFE for online learning sessions and previously facilitated Sarah Naish Masterclasses.
• Advocacy Services Peak body advocacy representing foster carers' interests to government and stakeholders. Includes the Care Allowance Campaign, policy submissions (AIFS Foster, Kinship and Permanent care payments review), ministerial roundtables, Carer Ambassador programme for MP engagement, and media advocacy.
• Membership Program Free membership providing foster carers with access to free advocacy, support, information, and representation in Victoria. Members can participate in governance through the AGM and Board elections, and access the Carer Assistance Program.
• Carer Advocate Support Line Direct phone support line (03 9416 4292) available Monday to Friday for foster carers to access advocate support, information, and referrals to services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of Carer Assistance Program respondents agreed the service is helpful for understanding foster care sector issues
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH)coreOthers · 1 October 2024FCAV collaborates with DFFH on roundtable discussions, policy advocacy, birth registration processes, and the Victorian Home-based Carer Census. FCAV has an established DFFH liaison function and provides key policy recommendations and submissions to the department.
• Department of Education (Victoria)coreOthers · 1 October 2024FCAV collaborates with the Department of Education alongside DFFH and Department of Health in roundtable discussions addressing early childhood education access and school support for children in care.
• Department of Health (Victoria)minorOthers · 1 October 2024FCAV participates in multi-department roundtables with the Department of Health to address healthcare access barriers for children in care, including Medicare dental and early intervention programmes.
• PCA FamiliescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024FCAV collaborated with PCA Families to facilitate carer members at a Minister's Roundtable on access to education and early childhood services in October 2024. Both organisations advocate for permanent and foster carers.
• Minister for Children (Hon. Lizzie Blandthorn)coreOthers · 1 October 2024FCAV facilitated a group of carer members at a roundtable by invitation of Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn in October 2024. The Minister acknowledged issues raised and referenced Scotland's 'Corporate Parent' model as a potential framework for improving care and support.
• Federal Minister for Social Services (Hon. Tanya Plibersek MP)coreOthers · 1 June 2024FCAV met with Federal Minister for Social Services Tanya Plibersek MP and Sarah Witty MP to discuss federal issues affecting foster care in Victoria and around Australia, including Commonwealth family payments, Family Tax Benefit, childcare access, and Medicare dental care for children in care.
• Fostering ConnectionsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020During the COVID-19 pandemic, FCAV worked with Fostering Connections to develop the 'Staying at Home Toolkit' resource for foster carers meeting care needs during restricted movement periods.
• Centre for Excellence in Child and Family WelfareminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020FCAV collaborated with the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare during COVID-19 to devise comprehensive resources for foster carers, including the Staying at Home Toolkit.
• Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFCAV's approach to culturally safe care is informed by ACCOs' expertise in the care of Aboriginal children and the lived and living experience of the community. FCAV acknowledges the need for Aboriginal self-determination in the child protection system.
• Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFCAV submitted a policy submission to the AIFS Foster, Kinship and Permanent care payments review in April 2025, contributing research-based advocacy on care allowance matters.
• Carer KaFE (Knowledge, Flexibility, Education)minorOthersFCAV refers carers to Carer KaFE for online learning including online sessions, podcasts, videos, and webinars for Victorian statutory kinship and accredited foster carers. FCAV previously facilitated Sarah Naish Masterclasses through this platform.
• Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Victoria)minorOthersFCAV advocated for and contributed to new streamlined birth registration processes implemented by DFFH and the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in June 2021, ensuring children in care can obtain birth certificates within 30 days.
• Yoorrook Justice CommissionminorOthersFCAV has engaged with the Yoorrook Justice Commission, Victoria's first formal truth-telling process into injustices experienced by First Nations peoples, providing evidence and perspective on child protection system issues.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• OzChild: Victorian and national provider of foster care, kinship care, and family services. Comparable foster care participants but with a direct service model rather than FCAV's advocacy and member-support model.
• MacKillop Family Services: Large Catholic provider of foster care, residential care, and family services across Victoria and other states. Comparable operating space (foster care delivery) but a much broader service portfolio than FCAV's advocacy-only scope.
• Anglicare Victoria: Major Victorian foster care and family services provider with institutional scale. Differs from FCAV as a direct service delivery agency rather than a peak advocacy body, but is a key stakeholder in the same foster care ecosystem.
• Barnardos Australia: National child welfare and foster care services provider. Operates in overlapping foster care service space but as a broader delivery organisation rather than a member-based advocacy peak body.

Regional players

• PeakCare Queensland: Queensland's peak body for child and family welfare. Operates a comparable peak-body model in an adjacent state and is structurally similar to FCAV in advocating for vulnerable children and carers.

Direct peers

• PCA Families (Permanent Care and Adoptive Families): Victorian peak body for permanent care and adoptive families. Already a coordination partner with FCAV on ministerial roundtables and represents a closely aligned mission around home-based care advocacy.
• Carers Victoria: Statewide peak body representing all unpaid carers in Victoria. Operates a similar peak-body advocacy and support model, with a broader carer constituency than FCAV's foster-carer focus.
• Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare: Victorian industry body for child and family welfare organisations. Co-developed COVID resources with FCAV and serves a comparable peak-body role for the broader welfare sector.
• CREATE Foundation: National peak body representing children and young people with lived experience in out-of-home care. Shares FCAV's child welfare remit, focused on the same population of children in foster and kinship care, but on the youth rather than carer side.
• ACWA (Association of Children's Welfare Agencies): NSW peak body for non-government child and family welfare organisations. Performs a similar advocacy and capacity-building role for member agencies and children in care, providing a comparable state-level peak-body model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/foster-care-association-of-victoria

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Foster Care Association of Victoria